US corporations push back AD/CVD repeal citing domestic aluminium industry turmoil

Two leading companies from the United States of America have strenuously raised their voice against the retraction of anti-dumping and countervailing duties by the International Trade Council (ITC), citing that the council’s decision is unjust to both the domestic aluminium industry and the American job sector.

EZ-ACCESS, a leading innovative accessibility solutions provider of the nation, and MI Metals, Inc., a US leader in aluminium extrusion production, are deeply disappointed with the recent USITC ruling that allows aluminium extrusions from 14 countries, including China and India, to be imported to the US market without any necessary duties.

This ruling, issued on October 30, 2024, effectively halts cases aimed at imposing tariffs on aluminium extrusions, a material vital to numerous industries, including residential construction, HVAC, and furniture manufacturing. However, according to the aforesaid US-based companies, it has also laid probable implications for American manufacturers and threatens to undermine the quality of products and American jobs.

“The Commission’s recent decision was both shocking and extremely disappointing. The recent ruling gives carte blanche to our subsidised competitors to flood the US market with cheap imports that threaten American jobs and this critical domestic industry,” voiced Brook Massey, President of MI, Metals, Inc. He also shared, “In business for over 40 years, MI Metals remains steadfastly committed to US production of high-quality aluminium extrusions by American workers and will continue to demand a level playing field for US manufacturing.”

AL Circle’s latest industry-focused report, “Global Aluminium Extrusion—Market Analysis & Forecast to 2030”, revealed that North America currently commands approximately 8 per cent of aluminium extrusion usage market share, while Europe holds 10 per cent. The rest of the Asia Pacific region (excluding China) accounts for approximately 9 per cent, and China holds around 66 per cent.

ITC has ended its previous countervailing and anti-dumping investigations and mandated that importers be refunded the duties previously collected by US Customs and Border Protection.

“This appeal represents our broader effort to address these inequities and prevent long-term damage to domestic products,” said Don Everard, CEO of EZ-ACCESS. “By challenging the decision, we aim to safeguard American jobs and promote the high-quality standards that define the products made in the United States.”

The USITC’s ruling also discloses that such imports are not essentially harmful to the country’s domestic aluminium industry, contradicting previous assessments of unfair trade practices.

“This ruling is a blow to American businesses that have built their reputation on quality and dedication to U.S. labour,” said Chris Boyd, CEO of Antebellum Manufacturing, LLC, a manufacturer in the aluminium fence, gate and rail market who uses US suppliers for its extrusion needs. “While these imported products may appear cheaper, they come at the expense of American jobs and the integrity of our industry. At Antebellum, we stand by our commitment to U.S.-made quality, even as we face an influx of subsidised alternatives that often fall short of the standards Americans deserve.”

An appeal has been formally filed in response to this ruling, stressing the need for fair trade practices that protect American industries and workers. In May 2024, the Biden White House issued an official statement in favour of the fact that imports of certain aluminium products from foreign countries, including China, were dominating the US steel and aluminium industry, emphasising the need for fair trade practices. Yet, this latest ruling facing extrusions takes a different view, which leaves many American manufacturers like EZ-ACCESS facing competition from an influx of subsidised foreign products. EZ-ACCESS and MI Metals have urged policymakers and consumers alike to consider the long-term drifts of such rulings.